Clearing the Air
by QueranAislinn
Summary: I'm glad we met today. I'm glad I got to tell you all of this. Neville gets turned into a vampire.


He smiled as he felt the thin streaks of cool rain gently brushing his skin. It had been some time since he had last been able to simply wander the streets, losing himself within the buildings like he would his plants, and walk among the humans who looked so full of life. Their hearts still beat, alerting anyone who was able to hear it of their current state of emotion.

The only reason he was able to wander outside today was because of the lack of direct sunlight, something that had been fairly rare during the past weeks. He had been forced to traverse the streets after night fell, something that was still slightly uncomfortable, and entirely too lonely. He had been lonely for a very long time, before he had matured enough to control his magic, while everyone around his age teased him for his clumsiness.

"Neville?"

He felt his body tense. He knew that voice. It was so familiar, so painful. That voice brought back all the memories and dreams that had once been within his reach, brushing his fingertips tantalizingly, but had been snatched away from him in seconds. It had been out of his control, a simple matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He wished it could have been otherwise, but there was no changing the past.

He turned to tell her that she was mistaken, but when their eyes met he knew that she would never believe those words. The recognition in those brown eyes had already read the recognition in mine. There was no way for me to not talk to her now, the one that I had been forced to leave behind years ago.

"Hannah…" His voice whispered.

Hannah took a few steps forward before hesitating and moving back to her original distance. It hurt him to see that, but he knew that their past familiarity was no longer. He wasn't even sure if they still had the friendship they had forged through their Hogwarts years. It had been several long years since he had left, and the pain of him leaving was probably still entrenched into her mind made fresh by the sight of him. He wished it didn't have to be this way.

"It's good to see you again. How are you?"

The distance between them now was clear by the tone of her voice, but he knew her. He understood what Hannah's real question was. The answer was the one he had wished to never explain, the reason he had never gone back, the reason he had left. Perhaps it was time she knew the truth. He owed it to her, if nothing else.

"I was dangerous. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Dangerous? The reason you left was because you were dangerous?" The disbelief in Hannah's voice was obvious. It made him wince at the badly worded start to his explanation.

"Perhaps that could have been worded better," he said, looking at the floor.

"You think?"

"You remember that night that I was out late? I told you that I had been attacked, but I hadn't said by what. Then I had been sick the day afterwards?"

He waited for her to nod slowly. He could see the realisation that was colouring her eyes, but he had to say it. He hadn't said it out loud since he had found out. It had made everything seem less real, like he could hide from it, from everything. It was time he faced the reality. He needed someone else to know after carrying himself for all these years.

"Neville, no..."

He nodded. There were no words needed. She understood what he had been trying to say.

It explained the supernatural speed he had for those few days before he had disappeared. He wasn't sure what was going through Hannah's mind, but he could see that she was conflicted and uncertain. He couldn't blame her. He hadn't been in a much better state of mind when he had realised it.

"Your magic...?"

"Gone. My wand stings me every time I try to use it."

There was a moment of silence between them. The sound of the rain hitting the roofs of the buildings around them was the only interruption in their little bubble. he could see her wet clothing sticking to her body, and tried to politely look away. His gaze rose once again to her face.

"What really happened?"

"The vampire tried to drain me. He had nearly drained me, the lack of blood had nearly taken all feeling in my arms, my legs, and my vision had been fading rapidly. I thought I was going to die for sure, but I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't die like that knowing that I would never see you again. I managed to escape him at the last second. I stabbed him, but in the process some of his blood mixed with mine. I had hoped that it wouldn't be enough to affect me, but it did. After I changed, I couldn't control myself all the time. I couldn't risk it. I had to leave."

The unspoken 'you' hung in the air.

"Oh, Neville. I'm sorry I hadn't realised it earlier."

He blinked. He was the one that was supposed to be apologising, not her. He was the one that had left without a word. She had done nothing wrong.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have explained it to you. I should have given you a choice."

Hannah gave him a watery smile. "You should have, but I should have known too. It isn't only your fault."

He couldn't stop the hope that filled his heart at her words. It meant she didn't hate him.

"I'm glad we met today. I'm glad I got to tell you all of this."

"Met?" she raised her brow, "Neville Longbottom, don't you dare disappear on me again. I am taking you home, even if I have to drag your now immortal butt all the way across London."

He gulped at the look in her eye, and decided that it was probably the best if he followed her willingly.

He may be immortal now, but that certainly didn't mean _nothing_ could kill him.

**AN: Neville gets turned into a vampire AU.**

**Take a Lyric Competition- "Take my arms, take my legs, take my vision."**

**Quidditch League Round 13: Caerphilly Catapults, Seeker: Neville/Hannah**


End file.
